"was not working" vs "was not worked"

Question

"was not working" vs "was not worked"

The correct phrase is "was not working." The verb "work" in this context should be in the present participle form (working) to convey the idea that the action was ongoing in the past and was not completed.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

This phrase is used to indicate that something was not functioning or operating in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary verb "was" followed by the present participle form of the verb "work" (working).

Examples:

The computer was not working yesterday.
She was not working on the project when I called her.
The car was not working properly after the accident.
The machine was not working due to a technical issue.
The lights were not working during the power outage.

Alternatives:

was not functioning
was not operating
was not running
was not in operation
was not in service

Answer 1

was not working

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

was not worked

This phrase is incorrect in English.

"was not working" vs "was not worked"

was not working

was not worked

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